FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional telescopic handle tool according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,637 and which includes a hollow handle member 10, a hollow drive shaft 12, a telescopic shaft 14 and a tool bit 13.
As illustrated, the handle member 10 is formed with a drive shaft retaining hole 11. The drive shaft 12 has a rear end mounted securely in the retaining hole 11 of the handle member 10, and a front end that confines a bit-retaining hole 120. The telescopic shaft 14 is disposed within the drive shaft 12, and has a distal end portion provided with a magnet 15 such that the telescopic shaft 14 is extendible outwardly of the bit-retaining hole 120 of the drive shaft 12. The bit 13 can be mounted removably in the bit-retaining hole 120 when the telescopic shaft 14 is retracted into the drive shaft 12.
As best shown in FIG. 2, when retrieving a workpiece, such as a screw 16, from a narrow hole, the tool bit 13 can be uprooted from the bit-retaining hole 120. Due to magnetic attraction between the magnet 15 and the tool bit 13, the distal end portion of the telescopic shaft 14 is also pulled outwardly of the drive shaft 12. Upon removal of the tool bit 13 from the telescopic shaft 14, the distal end portion of the telescopic shaft 14 can be inserted into the narrow hole so that the screw 16 can be attracted to the magnet 15 for removal from the narrow hole.
It is desirable to modify the aforesaid conventional telescopic tool so as to increase the functionality of the same to result in added convenience when in use.
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/121,885, which was filed on Jul. 24, 1998, the applicant disclosed a telescopic hand tool which includes a telescopic shaft, a connecting block, a tool accessory and spring-loaded means. The connecting block is mounted on a distal end portion of the telescopic shaft, and is formed with an external screw thread. The tool accessory has a coupling portion formed with a cavity for capping on the connecting block. The cavity is confined by an innermost end wall and an internally threaded surrounding wall for mounting threadedly on the connecting block. The spring-loaded means is mounted on the connecting block, extends into the cavity of the tool accessory, and abuts against the innermost end wall to provide an axial biasing force for biasing the coupling portion of the tool accessory away from the connecting block in order to enhance threaded engagement between the tool accessory and the connecting block.